The King and the Assassin
by gintaro
Summary: One is the new but reluctant ruler of a prosperous Makai country and the other is an enslaved assassin on a mission to kill, but the night of the assassination attempt was not the first time they've crossed path. Will they be able to recognize each other after all these years? Will they be able to free each other? HxK shounen ai - possible yaoi. Implied slavery and torture.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Another multi-chapter fic! Please note, this is shounen ai (and might become Yaoi in later chapters). Also, for a larger version of the cover image, please visit my profile page for a link.

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or KxH.

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"That's the one," said the silver kit. "That butcher has the best meat in this market." Through the crowds of Saturday shoppers, the three young demons could make out a fat man standing behind a makeshift table displaying meat of various cuts and quality. Featured prominently on the table was today's target, a generous cut of tenderloin.

"Oh, I know that guy! That's Hiro the butcher! We'd better be careful though, I heard nobody who steals from him ever gets away with it." Yusuke's eyes darted to and fro, scanning the market place and settling back on Hiro's table. He wiped a trickle of spittle from the corner of his little mouth with his torn sleeve. It has been weeks since he last had meat and the idea of biting into a juicy morsel left him salivating.

"Hn. Child's play," Shrimp nodded curtly. He knew exactly what to do. Getting up from their crouched position by the entrance of the market, the trio were swept into the current of shoppers. Slipping between the crevices amid the adults, they drifted their way downstream towards their target, unnoticed.

Well, except for Yusuke.

As they passed by a fruit stall, the vendor shook her fist at him. "You again? Don't you dare steal from me again! Get away from my wares!"

Yusuke pranced away, making googly eyes and sticking his tongue out at her.

The baker tried to grab him, "Hey, you little rascal! Get back here and pay for the bread you stole last week!" Quickly dodging back into the safety of the crowd, Yusuke plastered a wide toothy grin on his face.

"Hey Half-breed!" Fox called out to Yusuke, beckoning him closer. "You're not exactly discreet, are you?" The silver kit teased, grabbing the half-demon child by the arm and leading their trio to a quieter place.

"Stop calling me that!" Yusuke protested but allowed himself to be dragged diagonally against the stream of pedestrians and into the back street. "Unlike you punks, I actually have a name. Start using it."

"Names are useless." Shrimp narrowed his red eyes and crossed his arm. "I've been fine without one all my life. Besides, all they ever call you is little shit, rascal, moron, or whatever. Fox was pretty generous, calling you half-breed."

"Hey, I happen to like my name! Repeat after me. It's Yusuke. YU-SU-KEH." The dark hair boy furrowed his thick eyebrows, puffed out his chest and stared down at Shrimp. "Just because your parents didn't bother to name you before they aban —"

"Here's the plan", Fox whispered hoarsely, barging in between the two and taking charge of their ragtag gang. With a sense of authority a street urchin should not possess, he gave out the orders, "Yusuke, The market vendors obviously recognize you, so go cause a big ruckus. Drawing attention seems to be your specialty. Shrimp, you're the fastest. Grab the tenderloin when the butcher's not looking. Don't forget to give the signal when you're done. We'll meet back at the Bridge." Under his hooded cloak, his silver tail fluffed itself and his ears twitched backwards in excitement.

Shrimp nodded, adjusting his headband to make sure it covered his third eye — his most identifying feature — and right after a quick glare at Yusuke that said we'll-settle-this-later, disappeared into the crowd.

"What about you, fox? How come you don't need to do anything?" Yusuke challenged.

"I'm the backup plan in case either of you mess up," Fox said smugly.

"Guess that means you won't be lifting a finger."

"You're the one who wanted steak," Fox reminded him. "Now go! Shrimp doesn't like to wait."

Yusuke blew raspberries at Fox before melting back into the crowd.

Fox rolled his eyes. After tugging on the front of his hood to make sure it covered his flashy ears and long silver hair, slowly followed suit. Trailing behind a middle-class humanoid demon, Fox played the part of a sullen son who got dragged to the market by his mother. He moved slowly behind her and waited with his arms crossed, one foot impatiently tapping every time she stopped at a stall, all the while keeping his eyes on his two partners.

True to his reputation for speed, Shrimp was already in position. He stood two stalls down from the butcher and pretended to be interested in a wooden toy sword on display. Stealing glances at Hiro, he noticed that the man was always alert, glancing this way and that for potential customers and thieves. The man wouldn't be his ideal choice for a target, but then again, Shrimp loved challenges.

Across the narrow aisle, Yusuke sprang into action, knocking over a barrel of squash at the vegetable stall and sending the fruits tumbling all over the market.

"Hey you! What do you think you're doing?" The vendor cried out a string of curses, rushing out from behind her stall to gather the scattered squash.

"Oh Madam! I'm so sorry!" Yusuke exclaimed, clapping his arms together and bowing in apology. "I'll help you pick them up." He kneeled down to gather a few gourds while knocking the rest further away and pocketing a few smaller ones.

Pedestrians tripped and fell while others stopped to watch the scrambling vendor. The steady weekend traffic slowed to a crawl. Some good samaritans stopped to help gather and chase the stray pieces of fruit. Others complained about the hold up.

"Watch out for that kid!" Hiro the butcher shouted from across the aisle, arms waving wildly and gesturing to Yusuke. "That's the mongrel who's been stealing from everybody!"

Widening his eyes and putting on the sweetest expression he could muster, he protested, "I swear Madam! He's got the wrong person!"

"Grab him!" Hiro continued to shout. "How many half-ningens do you see around here? That's him for sure!" Just when Hiro was about to step out to grab the mongrel, he caught something in his peripheral vision: a tiny hand reached out from just beneath his table and nimbly snatched his prized tenderloin.

"Oh no, you don't!" the butcher muttered as he leaped over his stall in a display of agility not suggested by his girth and grabbed Shrimp by the cloak. Shrimp sidestepped the ensuing attempt to grab his person, unhooked his cloak, and allowed it to be pulled off him in one smooth motion, all while chucking their treasure at Yusuke.

Leaping onto the barrel of overturned squash and away from the reach of the angry vegetable vendor, Yusuke hurled himself into the air and grabbed the bundle midflight. He didn't even bother to cast Shrimp a glance before making off in the direction of the Bridge. Shrimp would be alright. He always was.

Hiro grabbed Shrimp by the shoulder, spinning him around. Quickly, Shrimp pivoted and swiped the cleaver from atop the thick cutting board. Dodging an incoming fist, he crouched to trip the butcher, redirecting Hiro's energy into a downward momentum. Before Hiro could catch his balance, Shrimp swung the cleaver down, hacking into his thick backside.

The butcher howled in pain. Next to him, several squeamish demons started screaming hysterically.

Surprised by what he's done, Shrimp dropped the weapon and turned to leave, only to find himself surrounded by a tight semi-circle of angry vendors and curious onlookers. Before he could escape, the mob descended upon him, their thirst for blood taking priority over the wounded butcher.

Shrimp bit, scratched, tore, kicked, and jabbed, fending off all offending appendages. Even if he gets out of this scot-free, there was no way he would ever work with that idiotic Half-breed ever again. He's been able to steal alone just fine, thank you very much, even if they have been only thefts of opportunity. He never should have let Fox talk him into this.

The horde has gotten so thick that the bodies blotted out the sky and its light, removing his most obvious path to freedom. Shrimp quickly assessed the situation. The good: so many new bystanders have joined the mob that half of them didn't even know its purpose and were kicking and pulling randomly. The bad: if he was to get out, Shrimp would have to crawl out of there while dodging the heavy boots. He could get trampled.

Wearing a heavy scowl, he ducked down and began to worm — creep — his way towards a sliver of light that kept on shifting. Legs shuffled around and knocked into him, forming new escape routes as quickly as they were taken away. To get through the available space, Shrimp twisted and contorted his body in ways that he didn't know was even possible and managed to make some headway. It wasn't until he was four bodies deep into the horde that they finally realized he was missing from the center of the semicircle. The mob went berserk. All around him, sightless arms reached and groped frantically for a child, legs tromped and kicked, bodies pressed closer together as more curious bystanders joined the madness, and shoving matches began as spectators accidentally struck each other. In the darkness, Shrimp gasped for air, trapped within a stifling cage of long torsoless limbs.

A pale hand grabbed him by the arm. Shrimp craned his neck and bit the hand. The hand withdrew, returning seconds later to constrict him with a thick cloth. Shrimp fought, flailed his arms about, clawed at the fabric and then felt the familiar coarse woven texture. This was his cloak. He was being restrained by _his_ cloak.

The hands were relentless and growing more frantic by the moment. The lack of oxygen must be affecting Shrimps eyesight, as the arms seem to be glimmering, but he didn't have a chance to dwell on that. The crowd in front of him had began to panic. Legs retreated towards him as if there was a reward for achieving the most body density within their tight semicircle. Somebody was shouting, "Heaven save us, those pumpkins! They're gonna burst! They're gonna —"

A loud boom rippled through the air. There was no smell of gunpowder, only pumpkin and roses. Strange, Shrimp did not recall seeing a florist at the market. The mob stampeded, self-preservation at an imaginary threat replacing bloodlust and curiosity. The pale hands reached once again to pick him up while fallen spectators were crushed by the hysterical crowd. Shrimp turned, fist withdrawn, ready to strike. It was Fox.

"You did this."

With a vacant expression on his face, Fox nodded, then allowed the stampede to sweep them apart before he bolted towards the Bridge, a large bundle tucked under his arm. Slippered feet ran stealthily on cobblestone street, taking him down only the cleanest streets in the city. There were puddles in one of the lanes and he couldn't help but check his reflection. Did he looked as bewildered as he felt? He didn't. As he ran through the city, one hand on his head to keep his hood in place, the homes on either side of the street turned from desolate and decaying huts, to modest shacks, and finally to magnificent mansions. He was in one of the wealthiest sections of the city. It didn't matter that he looked out of place in his threadbare grey cloak, he was here to enjoy the scenery. This was the only area within city limits that was alive with plant life, even if only in the form of manicured gardens, and it calmed him. His hand brushed a small bud and it bloomed at his touch. He smiled, feeling his heartbeat calm, and continued onwards. He neared the River Onyx, a natural fortification to the west of the city, and slipped through a crack in the city walls. Instead of making his way to the drawbridge, gatekeeper to the city's Westside, he made his way to a tiny triangular shaped island attached to the city's shore only by a makeshift bridge of scavenged material. He skipped over the Bridge, whistling a folk song he'd once heard.

"Took you long enough," said Shrimp, his voice traveling from above in the canopy of the trees.

"You took the rooftop route."

"What else would I take?"

"You should have been a bird demon. You would have liked the freedom of the sky."

Shrimp shrugged then said dryly, "Who knows? I inherited my jagan from my whore of a mother and eventually, I will inherit my father's powers, whatever they are. If I'm lucky, I might grow wings."

Fox smiled and laid his bundle next to the package of tenderloin and small fire that the half-breed must have built.

"Speaking of which, when did you learn to do that?" Shrimp asked, jumping down from the tree to join Fox on the grass.

"Do what?" Yusuke appeared, a bundle of twigs in his arms and a bruise forming on his forearm. Apparently, he and Shrimp had already settled the score. Yusuke sat down and began to sharpen a twig with a dull blade.

"This one here blew up some pumpkins," Shrimp nodded towards Fox.

"You did what?" Yusuke turned to face him, hands frozen mid action.

"I didn't blow up anything," Fox protested, hands gesturing wildly. "It just - grew - I mean, I was frustrated, and the pumpkins reacted. I knew my powers have something to do with it but all I've been able to do up to now was make a flower blossom or grow some glass." He swept his arm over a bare patch of land and a thin patch of grass began to grow before their eyes. "Look at how thin that is! Pathetic! I wish it was thicker!"

"That's what she said!" joked Yusuke. Shrimp whacked him on the side of his head with a stick. Yusuke swiped back with his twig, missed, then suddenly laid down, arms over his shoulders and hands behind his head. His wiped the silly grin off of his face and took on a thoughtful expression. "I wish I knew what my powers will be. If they're anything useful, I'm gonna get stronger and then get as far away from here as possible. I'm sick of this life, the stealing, the running away, being treated like rats, going to bed hungry..."

Fox laid a hand on Yusuke's shoulder briefly before turning to spread out the day's haul. "Well, at least today's not so bad," he said brightly, holding up a jug of wine.

"Whoa! How did you get that?" Yusuke sat at attention and even Shrimp moved close, uncorking the jug and tentatively sniffing. Yusuke grabbed it from him and took a big gulp.

"Under the cover of chaos, thanks to you two." Fox smiled, reaching for the jug to take a swig as well. "There's cheese, fruits, and a bit of honey too. Tonight, we feast!"

It wasn't until after his belly was full to bursting and the liquor had put him in a blissful and warm mood that Shrimp had a chance to reflect on how unusual it was for the three of them to be together. Shrimp was an antisocial creature, accustomed to being alone ever since his mother passed away. He knew that Fox spent a lot of time away from the other street children as well, acting in accordance to his solitary spirit fox nature. Yusuke was always around, boisterous and reckless, but never seemed to stick with any particular group of children for long. Somehow, despite the occasional bickering, he didn't mind either of their company. Is this what it means to be friends?

Stretched comfortably on the thin patch of grass Fox had made, Shrimp laid on his side with his rolled up cloak tucked under his head and watched the half-breed knock two sticks together in a repetitive pulse while Fox swayed to the beat and sang a lively tune. He'd never seen either of them at ease and in such high spirits. Feeling content, he tossed a few more twigs into the dying fire before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

None of them knew it then, but this would be one of the last times they would be happy, healthy, and together.

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That's all for now! I'm trying to change my story telling style in this fic. I hope it works. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well, of course they're not mine! Warning: This chapter has some swearing and a slightly gruesome scene at the beginning.

Thank you KyoHana and TheNotSoNiceLibrarian! BIG HUGS you two for constantly supporting me! I've changed my story telling style from my last story to be more dialogue focused instead of introspective. I hope it is working out! Please let me know!

And also, thank you to Gothic Lust and Narshia for following this story / adding it to favorites. It means a lot to me!

Ok, now on with the story!

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The alley was narrow, its width allowing no more than two at a time. Located deep in the abandoned warehouse district, there were better refuge options for the homeless, but Hiei was not looking for shelter; he was chasing a rumor.

Sprawled on the ground at the very end of the alley was a headless carcass. Its torso had been cut open, vital organs harvested. There was no blood. If not for the careless position that the body was left in, Hiei would have thought that he was looking at a sterile carcass used in a lab experiment or a prized wild game catch prepared for market. Gingerly, Hiei kneeled to examine the body. The silver tail on the carcass was the only sign he needed to confirm its identity.

He stood up, one hand on the wall for support, the other on his stomach and retched, a burning acidic taste in his mouth. His stomach heaved, body trying over and over again to purge his bowels of irritants that were only present in his mind. His throat burned. The rancid taste of vomit flooded his senses. He needed an urn of water to rinse out the taste, the smell, and the reality before him. Clenched eyes stung with tears. Weak legs collapsed under him, no longer able to support his weight. He felt as if he was being encircled by a cocoon. The steadily falling tears formed two wet trails, one pooling on the bridge of his nose, the other leading to a waterfall that sprayed from his temple. The air was warm. His back rested on a comfortable pallet and his head was supported by something soft.

Slowly, Hiei became aware that he was in a soft feather bed and not a narrow alley in the slums. He was in his room, far away and years from that place, but he still couldn't help feeling like the powerless child he once was. For a while, he didn't move until the tears ceased. Then, he turned to lie on his stomach so he could drag his face across the pillow. Having destroyed all evidence of his sorrow, he slowly opened his eyes and rubbed his temples, steeling himself for the day ahead.

His concentration was interrupted by the loud thud of his heavy double doors crashing open. Hiei quickly shifted into the shadows, back straight and shoulder tensed.

Yusuke barged into the room. "Hey Shrimp! We need to talk! Wake up before I kick your — !" He paused, expressive brown eyes narrowing at his friend's rigid posture. Immediately, he knew. "You dreamed of Fox again."

Hiei swung his legs over the side of the bed, stood up and strolled briskly towards the black outfit that was laid out for him the night before by the maids. He kept his eyes trained towards his dresser and did not once look at or acknowledge Yusuke.

"Hey, you know it wasn't your fault." Yusuke grabbed his friend by the arm, turning him to look directly in his eyes, but Hiei kept his eyes trained on the clothes in his hands. After a short moment, he yanked his arm away and proceeded to dress, slipping on a plain black shirt.

"That was a lifetime ago! Move on, Shrimp!" Yusuke said, squeezing his temples with his thumb and ring finger to combat the incoming headache. Pointing at the silver fox tail that was hooked onto one of Hiei's many belts, Yusuke continued, "You've been wearing that tail on your hip since that day, gone back to that alley almost every year, and even built a garden in his honor. Enough is en—" He stopped, Hiei held a cold blade at his throat.

"One more word on this and you'll speak no more," Hiei growled, finally meeting his eyes.

"Stop bluffing. You and I both know you'd never do it," Yusuke said sternly without even a hint of concern. "We've been through too much together and you need me now more than you ever did on the battlefield."

In response, Hiei withdrew his katana and set it aside. In one fluid motion, he swung a black silk cape over his head and onto his muscular shoulders. The thick material fanned out behind him and then settled, enclosing his figure completely. With his fingers buried within the softness of the now covered fox tail, Hiei finally spoke, "Yes. It's been an undesirable turn of events."

"You call _this_ undesirable?" Yusuke arched one eyebrow and then did a 360 degree turn, arms out and palms up, gesturing to different parts of the room: the handcrafted polished oak bedframe, the lush feather bed, the ornately carved double doors, the heavily embellished wall hangings, the massive dresser that was twice as wide as he was tall, the imported oil lamps, the expansive floor to ceiling windows, the arched fireplace decorated with intricate floral carvings, and finally Hiei's fully embroidered silk outfit. "You're a fucking king!"

"No matter how lavish, chains are chains!" Hiei hissed. At Yusuke's shrug, he added, "I only joined the military to get off of the streets. I had no idea I would climb up the ranks so swiftly that I get recognized by my father who, coincidentally, was the King! It's like something out of a tall tale!"

"Not really. Your jagan makes you pretty damn easy to identify." Yusuke crossed his arms and looked pointedly at the short king, "There are not that many Jaganshi around, you know."

"Which means that if he had really wanted to, he would have found me earlier. First he takes away my opportunity for a normal childhood by abandoning us, then he destroys any opportunity for a normal adulthood." A heavy scowl formed on Hiei's face and he started pacing. "Damn my father for claiming me after all these years. Damn him for leaving me the throne. He should have left it for his daughter."

As if his gaze alone could set objects aflame, Hiei slowly scanned the room and its exaggerated decor then continued his soliloquy, "Me, the bastard love child of the King with some jaganshi harlot, King? Laughable." A dry laugh escaped his lips. Sighing, he sat down on his bed to pull on his leather boots.

"Don't be so glum!" With a big grin on his face, Yusuke sat next to him and patted Hiei heartily on the back, then flopped down on to the king's bed with no reservation, arms outstretched and legs dangling freely off the edge. "Most of the country loves you. Classic rags to riches inspirational story."

"The rest of them want to kill me and I don't blame them. There are other more appropriate rulers and plenty of people wanting to take my place." His voice softened, "My half-sister should be ruling. No one would challenge her rightful place at the throne."

Yusuke's face suddenly lit up and he shot back up into a sitting position. "Oh right! That's what I came to talk to you about!" The silly grin disappeared from his face and he leaned towards Hiei as if he was about to reveal a devastating secret, "I've narrowed down the suspects plotting your downfall. I think it's one of the royal cousins."

"Which one?"

"All I know is that a tall one with a cold glare has been shopping for assassins. That could mean Yomi, Sensui, Koenma, Sakyo…." Yusuke started counting the possibilities on his fingers.

"My grandfather must have passed on his tall gene to everyone except my father. There's at least ten of those," Hiei rolled his eyes. "_Great job_, detective, but this doesn't help much."

"Shut up! You should be more courteous to someone who's been working his butt off to uncover your enemies!" Yusuke shoved Hiei's shoulder who retorted by trying to whack him on the back of his head. Yusuke tilted away just in time, then he stilled and whispered, "Most likely they'll try to kill you tonight."

"Oh. You mean at the unification celebration? A public event with an influx of demons, where we'll be opening the hall for a large banquet complete with imported servants and performers? Who would think to attempt an assassination _there_?" Hiei said dryly, an expression of wide eyed innocence on his face but voice overflowing with sarcasm.

Showing that he did, in fact, have some self control, Yusuke ignored the biting comment. "Look! I've made sure that the papers for all servants and entertainers have been thoroughly examined before they are given clearance. You'll have a taste taster, and only your closest servants will be handling your food. One third of the army will be in and around the castle, guarding us. I'm doing everything I can."

Hiei nodded and patted Yusuke lightly on the back, before getting off the bed to perch on the windowsill at one of many full length windows and stared outside. "This castle was built in a time of peace. Make sure all large windows are guarded. I'll be wearing my katana tonight."

Hiei looked out at the eruption of colors in his garden, mind suddenly wandering away from the chirp of songbirds and the present to a faraway clot in a vacant warehouse of a port side city. A warm body was waiting with open arms. Instinctively, his left hand reached for the fox tail by his side.

As if on cue, Yusuke extracted himself from the bed and made to excuse himself. These sudden episodes of deep reminiscence have become increasingly frequent and Yusuke knew when to make himself scarce.

As he opened one of the heavy double doors, he came face to face with a lovely ice apparition with long mint green hair half held up in twisted braids. Stray strands framed her sweet face and gentle features. Next to her, a timid woman whose long hair was swept up in a loose ponytail that cascaded around her head and a well built demon with a conspicuous blue mohawk stood protectively.

"Princess Yukina. Lord Chu. Rui san." Yusuke bowed, careful to greet the visitors in order of rank. "I'm afraid King Hiei is in no mood to talk right now."

"Oh dear, Yusuke san, is something the matter with my dear brother?" Yukina stepped forward, angelic crimson eyes widening in concern. "Is he apprehensive about tonight?"

"Oh nothing of the sort," Yusuke began, but before he could conjure up a believable excuse, Hiei interrupted from within the room.

"Let them in, Half-breed," the demon king stood from his perch, silhouetted against the bright sunlight that streamed from the window.

Yusuke shrugged and then stepped backwards to hold the heavy door open for the visitors. In accordance to the standards of grace in her country and helped along by the restriction of her kimono, the princess shuffled into the room in small steps, hands clasped before her and head held high.

"Brother dearest," Yukina bent forward slightly in greeting. Behind her, Chu and Rui bowed deeply and greeted him with a mumbled chorus of your majesties. "I'm glad you are well."

"As I've said, there's no need for this type for formality when it is just us," Hiei gestured for his guests to take a seat at the cozy drawing area surrounding his fireplace, then settled in a chesterfield wingback chair of silk needlepoint upholstery. His guests straightened themselves and followed his lead. Yukina made herself comfortable on the couch, while Rui sat next to her with lowered head, and Chu stood directly behind Yukina, proclaiming his self-appointed role as Yukina's protector. Yusuke stood at a distance, close enough to listen, but far enough to provide the semblance of privacy.

A small fire crackled to life with a barely discernible fluctuation of Hiei's youki. With his elbows on the arms of his chair and his fingers interlaced before his chest, Hiei asked bluntly, "What brings you here, Yukina?"

If Yukina was offended by this casual usage of her name or the lack of formal greetings, she betrayed no indication, instead she reached out a delicate arm to touch her brother's knee. "Tonight is a special night for you, and I just want to ascertain that you are prepared before I ready myself for the festivities."

Hiei narrowed his eyes into slits of red and said matter-of-factly, "I don't think there's much preparation to make for _fucking_ a courtesan."

Yukina's cheek flushed a brilliant shade of red that matched her eyes while Chu chortled and Yusuke whistled.

Rui's shoulders tensed and pale hands clenched at her kimono. Forgetting her position for a moment, she chided, "This type of plebeian language is inappropriate in the presence of ladies!"

Even though Hiei took no offense — he's been spoken down to most of his life — Chu set a heavy hand on Rui's shoulder and reprimanded her softly, "Calm yourself, Miss Rui. The King may express himself however he wish." Chu looked up at Hiei, a big smirk on his face, and winked. "I believe he's up to the task."

Hiei just glared at them all.

Eager to bring the conversation back to the topic at hand, Yukina continued, "Brother, you've refused to do this in the past and I need to know that you will do it this time. Please understand that it is customary in our culture for any powerful man to build a harem, especially the King. Choosing a…_lover_ at such a big celebration is not only normal, but also expected." Yukina could feel the heat continue to spread across her face, this was not a topic she felt comfortable talking about. "Your reluctance has fanned the fires of rumors claiming your..._inability_."

"So I'm to sleep with some whore just to prove my virility to a bunch of strangers." Hiei fumed, right hand clutching the arm of his chair and left hand retreating into his cloak to grab a hold of the foxtail, feeling the familiar warmth of silver fur. "I can think of no baser reason to engage in fornication."

"Please brother!" Yukina threw herself off the couch to kneel down in front of her dark half-sibling, eyes pleading and beads of tears forming. "I've personally chosen them this time, and they are nothing but the brightest, most beautiful, and graceful creatures. I've chosen males too, if that is your inclination. Please brother, it needn't be more than one night." Seeing tufts of silver fur peek out from beneath her brother's cloak, she added desperately, "There will be youkos available too, if you prefer."

Instead of having a calming effect on her brother, her last statement served to rile him further. His mouth opened to say something and then closed. His ki fluctuated violently and his cat like eyes shone in resentment.

"Hey Cuz! Calm down!" Chu rushed forward to shield the princess from the King while Rui pulled her backwards. Hiei stood up, making to strike, but sat back down, a grimace etched on his face.

"Snap out of it, Shrimp!" Yusuke appeared in front of him, leaning in so close that the half-ningen filled up Hiei's entire field of vision. Offering the King his katana with one hand and pulling him up with the other, Yusuke cheerily exclaimed, "Look at all that pent up energy! We should go sparring!"

"Hn." Hiei grabbed the katana and flitted to an open window. Before he jumped out into the sunlight, he glanced back at Yukina.

Quietly, she appealed to him once more, "Please brother, I don't want to see you alone." Her pure aura fanned out around the room to embrace him.

Then he was gone.

Yusuke chased after him, shouting, "If I win, I get to choose the one you'd be bedding tonight!" He winked at Yukina, who bowed deeply in gratitude for defusing the situation, before leaping out of the window.

"Sometimes, I think that fellow is the only thing keeping our king sane," Chu shook his head in disbelief, walking towards the opened window to see them now engaged in battle.

"I'm glad that he has a dear friend who understands him." Quietly joining Chu's side, Yukina smiled at the scene below. "All my life, I've dealt with the expectations that comes with being royalty and the complications of castle politics, so I've grown accustomed to it. I can only imagine how overwhelming it can be for my brother."

"That may be the case," Chu scratched a bald patch of skin right next to his mohawk. "But what man wouldn't want to be surrounded left and right by beautiful lovers?"

"A man who has lost someone dear to him, I suppose." With a sad smile on her face, the princess turned to leave the room, Rui trailing awkwardly after her.

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A/N: Where's Kuwabara you ask? Don't worry! He'll show up soon enough!

Also, as previously mentioned, there is a link to a larger, downloadable version of the Youko Shuichi cover art from my profile. Feel free to download!

Well, until next time then!


	3. Chapter 3

Standard disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

Thanks again to my constant reviewers KyoHana and TheNotSoNiceLibarian! Of course, thank you as well to everyone who is following the story!

TheNotSoNiceLibarian: I couldn't help but torture Hiei just a little...

KyoHana: You're right! Besides, if Hiei was the assassin, I imagine he would just incinerate the whole place and then there'd be no more story to tell!

Sorry for the late delivery! This took much longer than I expected! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Hiei yawned.

_Hey Shrimp! Pay attention! We're supposed to be screening for potential enemies here._

Hiei leaned back lazily on the throne and folded his right knee to place his foot on the seat. Resting his elbow on his knee, he half-heartedly attempted to cover his mouth while he yawned once again. Underneath his white headband, his jagan glowed faintly while he telepathically communicated with Yusuke.

_I see only overstuffed lords and self-important ladies._

He was seated at the end of a hall that was thrice as long as it was wide. Adorning the walls were a set of twelve elaborate tapestries depicting scenes from the legendary founding of Maragonia, from the gory image of Hiei's ancestor, the Dragon King Sei ripping out of his mother's womb, to the bloody battles that lead to the unification of the four central kingdoms of Makai. A thick violet carpet cut a pathway through the marble floor tiles. On each side, low tables of carved cherry wood and plush seating cushions awaited Maragonia's aristocracy who were lined up around the grand hall and out into the foyer, each bearing tributes for the unification celebration.

_Hey, you never know. Sometimes its the harmless looking ones that are the most dangerous._

Hiei looked down the long line of aristocrats. He could see the heavily perfumed ladies gossipping and comparing the extravagance of each other's outfits. The men were not much better. Some were boasting the success of their businesses while others leered at the pretty servants.

_You're right. Conversing with these fools will be the death of me._

_It's a good thing Yukina is doing the talking for you then._

Hiei glanced over at his sister seated next to him on the adjacent throne. As always, Chu and Rui protectively shadowed her. His sister was amicable where Hiei was cold. She was gentle and regal where he was brash. She was loved by the people where he was a mere curiosity. Most importantly, she had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the countless nobility who were nothing but strangers to Hiei. In short, she was a natural in making small talk and exchanging pleasantries with the line of guests that was taking their turns to greet them.

"Ah Sir Sado! It is wonderful to see you again. How is Sakura? She must be a teenager now! Is she still as lovely as I remember her?"

"Lady Kara, you look stunning in that emerald kimono. I've heard that your family's textile business is doing very well. I would love to tour one of your factories."

"Lord Hiro and Lady Hatsumomo, congratulations on your marriage! Please accept my sincere apologies for missing your ceremony. I was engaged in official duties and could not make it. I trust that you received my wedding gift?"

Hiei yawned again. This time, he didn't even bothered to conceal his boredom.

_Hey Shrimp! Seriously! You're supposed to keep me company!_

Momentarily, Hiei dropped his standard expression of indifference to glare at Yusuke, who was standing off to the side as his guard. Concentrating on his thoughts, he shot a message back at his childhood friend.

_Do not tempt me to close the jagan._

_Neh. You won't do that. How else would we communicate? Besides, talking to me is the only thing keeping you awake right now._

_Hn. You think too highly of yourself._

_Stop glaring at me. Lord Sensui is onto us._

Hiei turned his attention to the dark hair man bowed before him. As a General during his stint in the Maragonian military, Lord Sensui was the only noble that Hiei knew in his prior life as a commoner and the only one he had an ounce of respect for.

"General Sensui," Hiei nodded curtly to the tall man in acknowledgement.

"Your majesty. Lady Yukina. Lord Chu. It is good to see you all well." Sensui stood and with an easy smile on his face, addressed Hiei directly, "I sense that your aura is stronger than ever before and that you are putting your gifts to good use." Sensui glanced over at Yusuke's direction and nodded in greeting. Yusuke smiled awkwardly back, an expression of embarrassment on his face like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Thanks to your in efforts, in part." Hiei leaned forward on his seat and dipped his head slightly. "How can I ever forget the intensive training I was subjected to under your command?" Yusuke snorted audibly.

"Reserved only for soldiers who showed promise, I assure you."

"Lucky me," Hiei said dryly. The next words escaped his mouth before he was even aware of the thought, "I would not mind riding with you again some day."

"It would be my ...pleasure, your majesty." Hiei didn't missed the way Sensui stumbled on his words. The man cleared his throat and recomposed himself. "Unfortunately, in this time of peace, I am but a humble administrator."

Yukina smiled, there were not many people her brother would willingly associate with. "The peace we enjoy now is made possible only by your efforts. You've quenched rebellion after rebellion." She stood and bowed, receiving a deep bow from Sensui in return.

"My lady, you are too generous in your compliments."

"You are much too courteous, my dear cousin. If you have no pressing duties to attend to back at the military base, I'd like to invite you to extend your stay in the capital and perhaps train with our guards?"

Just for a short moment, a look of deliberation flashed across Sensui's face. Hiei shifted uneasily in his seat. "I would very much enjoy that, my lady, and will make the necessary arrangements." Sensui bowed again and excused himself while another lord replaced him before them.

_Odd._

_What's odd, Shrimp?_

_The way he paused and deliberated._

_Ohhh yeah. I saw that. Odd for sure._

In an effort to stifle his desire to roll his eyes, Hiei closed his eyes and sighed heavily. It's hard to find good help.

_This man respects power over bloodlines but the way he behaved just now have raised my suspicions._

Absently, Yusuke nodded, forgetting for a moment that they were communicating telepathically.

_Come to think of it, he has every reason to hold a grudge against the royal family. After all those years of defending Lord Yomi's territory, all he got for his efforts were some titles and medals._

_Monitor him while he's in the capital._

_We can use training as an excuse to get closer to him while he's here!_

_Brilliant. The captain of my guards want to give my potential enemy a weapon and an excuse to fight with me._

_Shut up, Shrimp!_

"Greetings to you both, your highnesses." A lord with slicked back shoulder length hair was now bowed before Hiei. "My apologies for my absence at your majesty's crowning ceremony earlier in the year."

Hiei cleared his throat as a signal for the lord to raise and noticed the long scar running down the side of his face.

_Who's this?_

"Oh, Lord Sakyo, your presence was sorely missed." Yukina, always the diplomat, smiled graciously.

_One of your cousins. Apparently, the word on the street is he's involved in several illicit activities like illegal gambling houses, human trafficking, and smuggling._

_Hn._

"As a gesture of my remorse, please accept these barrels of the finest wine my vineyards have ever produced." He motioned to the large barrels four servants were struggling to carry into the hall.

"I thank you for your generosity, dear cousin. I imagine your vineyards are doing well?"

Sakyo casted Yukina a sincere smile. "The grapes have been magnificent in the last few years, as you will soon see, producing a muscular wine of red fruit, cracked pepper, toasty oak and spicy undertone, with hints of lifeforce and a long elegant finish."

"I know so little of the art of wine production. I would love to learn the secrets behind your success."

"My lady, this may sound crude but the bloodshed from the rebellions of the previous years produced mineral rich soil that is conducive to my strain of grapes. Thanks in part to my esteemed cousin, Lord Sensui." Sakyo stole a glance at the general's direction and smirked knowingly. He couldn't help but notice Lady Yukina flinching slightly before composing herself and smiling carefully. Behind her, his cousin Chu practically growled. With a smug smile on his face, he continued, "I simply imported the right kind of soil to produce the environment my vineyards need."

Hiei eyed the barrels of wine apprehensively.

_Your cousin's a creep._

_No shit._

_Seriously though, a man like this might prefer someone more trusting like Yukina as the monarch over someone like you who could shut down his criminal syndicate._

_I don't give a damn what he's involved in._

_Yeah well, he doesn't know that._

_Hn. I won't be drinking any of that wine._

The last guests to draw their attention was a large man with a full beard and a slim young man with a strange tattoo on his forehead.

"Your majesties King Hiei and Lady Yukina, everytime I see you I'm reminded of my late brother-in-law, King Tennou. You remember my incompetent son, Koenma?"

"Oh King Enma and Prince Koenma!" Yukina beamed brightly. "What a delightful surprise! I thought you would be too busy with Reikai business to join us today."

"My dear, I would never be too busy to see my niece and nephew!" King Enma turned to his nephew, "King Hiei, I trust that you're adjusting to your new role."

Hiei nodded swiftly. This was one person Yukina had warned him not to cross. "There's still much to learn."

"My offer from before still stands." King Enma grabbed his son by the shoulder and shoved him forward. "My son would gladly assist in any administrative duties. I'm sure he would appreciate a change in scenery."

_This smells like trouble, Shrimp. Why does he insist on leaving the Prince of Reikai in our care?_

_Hn. Keep your enemies close._

"Father! I told you a million times, It's beneath me to —" Prince Koenma started to argue but was quickly silenced by King Enma's dangerous looking frown.

_So you'd accept?_

_Just another child to baby sit._

Hiei nodded curtly at Yukina.

"Prince Koenma, you would be a great help to my brother," Yukina bowed, face hidden by her thick hair. "This presents a wonderful opportunity to get to know you better."

"As you can see, my unworthy child is a handful. Please don't hesitate to put him in his place." Without even turning to his son, King Enma added, "Stop sulking Koenma, its unbecoming."

_Wow. Relationships like that kinda make me glad I was orphaned as a child._

_Hn._

Finally, the greetings came to an end and all guests were seated at the banquet hall. Servants rushed to set up the head table right in front of the thrones, while Yusuke took this opportunity to duck into a dark corner to stretch.

_We didn't see Yomi._

_Oh yeah! But that old blind goat is on the guest list though. I'm surprised, hasn't he been courting Yukina?_

Hiei narrowed his eyes._ I don't trust him._

_Come to think of it, his arch romantic rival, the carrot top is missing too._

_I didn't put that idiot on the guest list._

_Yeah, but he's ningenkai royalty and an ally. That means he's automatically invited._

_Hn._

As soon as Yukina and Hiei were seated, food, liquor, tobacco, entertainers, and of course, courtesans flooded the hall, carpeting the room in all manners of indulgence.

Courtesan after courtesan who — just as Yukina had promised — came in all shapes and sizes, paraded in front of Hiei. Vying for his attention were demure dolls who blushed shyly at the King, curvaceous vixens revealing their ample cleavages, classic beauties wearing black dresses and crimson lips, hairless boys with sheepish smiles, tomboys with androgynous demeanors and masculine gaits, sweet angels with innocent eyes, muscular men who towered over the King, and lean athletes who radiated sunshine. He scanned everyone of them for concealed weapons and youki levels.

A woman with an utter look of indifference that rivaled Hiei's appear to be peddling them, encouraging them to interact with him, while she smoked cigarette after cigarette. Out of respect for his sister's wishes, he tolerated the courtesans' flirting, but waved them away as soon as he deemed he had spent sufficient time with each one. Underneath his cloak though, he gripped the fox tail so tightly he was afraid it would break.

_Nothing but whores, the lot of them._

_Aww. Don't be like that Shrimp. They're doing exactly what they're expected to do. Besides, I see some real cuties there. How about that brown kitsune? Koto, was it? She's got a spunky personality._

_No foxes._

_You're gonna break your sister's heart._

Yusuke and Hiei glanced over at Yukina seated at the table next to theirs, franked on both sides by Rui and Chu. Earlier in the evening, she had looked at her brother with hopeful eyes, capturing his every expression and movement. Now, she wore a slight frown while Rui's expression became increasingly cold as candidate after candidate was rejected. Chu was trying to make lighthearted banter.

_Shrimp, you have got to pick one. How about that beauty over there with the purple hair? He's gorgeous!_

_His ki level is high. Any one of these could be an assassin._

_I told you before, and I'm telling you again. We've done background checks on all of them._

_Hn._

Ever persistent, Yusuke was about to jab his friend in the ribs when he was interrupted by the loud beating of taiko drums. Six dancers in wigs of dried straw and elaborately carved wooden half-masks glided down the center of the hall. Half wore white while the other half wore black. Wide legged trousers with deep pleats flowed as they danced. Each welded a katana and held a foldable hand fan of bright red.

_What kind of security measures allow swords into the performance?_

_Have some faith in me, would ya? Those are dull-edge blades._

The performers launched into an energetic routine of jagged dips and jumps in a blur of black and white, all the while flicking their wrists to open and close the fans. They waved the fans before them in rhythmic patterns, painting swirls of red fire burning in the air. As the tempo increased, so did the dancer's movements. They launched into an acrobating routine of a mock battle scene between black and white, good and evil. Their swords clashed and sang and their bodies twisted, fell, spinned, and flipped fluidly, speaking in a language only a warrior would understand.

As the dance came to an end and the entertainers prepared to transition to their next performance, one of the dancers started singing. The tone of the voice was warm, lyrical, and simple; conjuring images of childhood that swirled and seeped through the air. It was hard to tell whether the voice belonged to a masculine woman or a feminine man.

Swept away by the sounds, Hiei was taken back to a little island on the river Onyx, where a comforting campfire was blazing, friends were laughing, and his belly was full of honey, cheese, and tenderloin. He was relaxing on a thin patch of grass being lulled to sleep by the warmth of the fire. Fox was singing a folk tune.

Hiei shook himself out of the vision.

"Unmask yourself." He commanded quietly as he stood. The room hushed and all attention turned to the King and the singer.

Without a pause, the singer reached to remove the mask. Calm emerald met fiery red as the singer discarded the mask and boldly returned Hiei's gaze. His face — even though the features were delicate and exquisitely sculpted, the singer was clearly male — betrayed no sense of emotion. When he peeled off the straw wig, the adonis revealed untamable red hair that bled into silver and tumbled past his shoulders all the way to his waist. Set atop his head were triangular silver ears. Hiei sat back down and looked away. His fingers found their way to a familiar softness hidden under his cloak.

The singer was a fox.

Feeling encouraged by the rare display of interest, Yukina beckoned the fox to come closer when the song ended and the room erupted in applause. "What a delightful performance! Your voice has such a soothing quality to it. How long have you been singing?"

When the kitsune swiftly got on his knees to bowed deeply before them, Hiei caught a familiar scent of roses in the air that made him both nostalgic and sick. He frowned and looked back at the fox. "Your majesties, thank you for the opportunity to perform before you." A light tinge of pink appeared on the apples of the singer's cheeks and his glance darted away momentarily from Hiei to the floor. "I've been singing all my life."

_Halfbreed, I assume you ran background checks on the performers._

_This dance troupe has been performing in all sorts of upscale parties and formal ceremonies. They were at your crowning too._

"Well, it certainly shows!" Yukina beamed at the fox kept his eyes trained on Hiei, face once again emotionless.

_Hn. This one didn't sing last time._

Hiei stared back, appraising the slender singer. His weak aura indicated that he was not a purebreed spirit fox, but instead, a mixture of human and kitsune. There was no noticeable ki. He had eyes that at times seem to be pleading with him to look away and at other times seem to reflect a profound sadness, all the while maintaining a bold gaze and an impassive expression. Hiei wrinkled his forehead.

_For sure he didn't. I wouldn't forget a performance like that._

_Make sure he's clean._

Hiei stood.

"I'll take this one."

As soon as those words left his mouth, the room hushed. The dancer was ushered away from the hall by Yusuke and the chain smoking woman who did not bother hiding her disappointment that a mere performer caught the eye of the king. Stealing a glance at Hiei, Rui excused herself from her seat and left to trail behind them.

Yukina cupped her face in her hands and shedded tears of joy while Chu beamed.

When the banquet finally concluded hours later, Hiei returned to his room to find the dancer bathed, searched, plucked, groomed, and dressed in a plain white robe that was tied loosely in the front. He was seated by the fireplace, the flickering flame lighting a halo around his crimson and silver mane.

"...as long as you spread your legs for the King." The king could over hear the last minute instructions that the chain smoking woman was hurriedly whispering. Rui stood tensely next to them, back straight and face in anxious concentration. She bowed deeply upon his entrance then gestured urgently for the woman to leave.

As they passed each other, the tobacco scented flesh-peddler whispered, "Your majesty, this dancer is ill-prepared for this task. If he doesn't meet your needs, I will be right outside, ready to bring someone more appropriate."

"He will suffice," Hiei said simply and then nodded towards the doors, "I want complete privacy."

"I understand, your majesty," the woman returned amicably but didn't hide the scowl on her face.

"That means the rest of you too." Hiei glared at Rui and then at the guards stationed at his doorway.

"Your highness, I will return to collect him when you're done."

"Just leave, Rui."

As the door clicked shut behind them, he could hear faint murmurs about payment and complaints about a mere performer being chosen while footsteps hurried away.

Hiei sighed then took a seat in his wingback chair directly across from the dancer. The beautiful creature unfolded himself from the couch then proceeded to pour him a glass of spirits and offered it to him on his knees. Hiei stroke the hidden fox tail.

"Your majesty, it is my honor to be chosen, but I'm not…" he paused. "Please be…" Another pause. The liquor rippled from the quivering of his hands. He took a deep breath and continued, "I mean to say that I hope I will meet your expectations."

"You don't want this any more than I do," Hiei observed as he waved the drink away. The dancer began to set the drink aside when he hesitated, eyes trained on the swirling liquid within. His silver ears twitched backwards several times.

"You may drink that if you wish."

The kitsune wavered for a moment further, then drain the entire glass. His eyes clouded over and his face was again emotionless and impassive. Slowly but gracefully, he slid the left side of his robe off his shoulder, revealing supple arms and a pale chest. He leaned forward to unclasp the King's cloak but quickly backed away when Hiei stood and unclasped the cloak himself. It formed a puddle around his ankles.

"Let's get this over with," the King said, resigned to his fate.

The dancer stared at the silver fox tail hanging from the King's hip that was now in plain view. He opened his mouth as if to ask a question and then quickly closed it. Instead, he once again leaned forward to loosen Hiei's many belts, nimble fingers making quick work of the buckles. When the belts were no longer an obstacle, the fox unfastened the King's trousers and began to pull them off but froze when he realized that the King was not aroused at all. Hiei stared down at the wild head of crimson and sighed. This is going to be a long night. Although he found the fox attractive, there was only one person who Hiei truly wanted to embrace. He simply could not feel excited about sleeping with a mere proxy. Reaching for the bottle, he poured another glass of spirits and offered it to the kitsune, then made his way towards the bed and sat down on its edge, back rigid and neck straight.

The second glass of liquor disappeared as quickly as the first had. The fox threw his long tresses behind his shoulders, and then untied his robe, allowing it to flow loosely around him. Kneeling down between the King's legs, he unbuttoned the fitted silk shirt and drew it back over the King's shoulders.

"Your Majesty, perhaps a massage will help you relax?" Large emerald eyes with flecks of gold looked up at Hiei with a hint of hope.

"It couldn't hurt."

As he stood, the dancer disrobed himself, revealing his long tail. Backlit by the moonlight, his long limbs and lavish hair appeared to glow and for a brief moment, all Hiei saw was Fox standing before him, brought back from his untimely death. Triangular ears twitched and the silky silver tail fluffed itself the way Fox's ears and tail does whenever he was anxious or excited. Unworldly long hair swayed like weeping willows in the breeze as he strolled towards Hiei. He climbed atop the bed and swung a long leg around his back to straddle Hiei's hips. The scent of roses filled the air. A warm body was pressed against his back. Soft lips laid gentle kisses on his neck and ears. Tender hands kneaded the stiff knots in his back in tiny circles, discovering all the spots that have become sore from the nerve wrecking evening.

"Fox? Is that you?"

The next thing he knew, his jargan was white hot and issuing urgent signals of alarm. Hiei whirled around to see the dancer with a three inch acupuncture needle, posed to pierce his death point*. Hiei leapt from the bed and immediately flared his ki, making contact with the assassin's upraised arm. With the speed of a panicked animal, the kitsune bounded from the bed and out the window, the fur on his tail completely fluffed up.

Hiei gave chase.

As he landed, it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, which was ample time for the assassin to stealthily make his way out of the castle grounds and into the woods beyond. Hiei ripped off the headband on his jagan to track the fox, but without any ki signature, he could only make out a vague direction. In a blur, he was in the woods trying to catch of glimpse of silver fur or the scent of blood.

Far ahead of him, his jagan sensed movement, and Hiei became immediately flitted to the small clearing, a black haze in the dark forest. The fox may have stealth on his side, but the King had speed. Not a moment later, he released another torrent of ki that struck the assassin in the back.

As the wounded kitsune crashed into the forest floor, his target was upon him, pinning the naked assassin to the ground. The dangerous glow of the purple jagan told him that he would soon meet his end. He didn't struggle.

"Who sent you?"

Silence. Green eyes would not meet red.

"Who. Sent. You?" A flurry of smoke and gunpowder youki surrounded them.

"The savior sent me." Silver ears flattened and green eyes squeezed shut.

"You are in no position to speak cryptically." Hiei paused, a more pressing thought rose from deep within his consciousness and rolled off the tip of his tongue, "Are you Fox?"

The assassin hesitated before answering, "I am half-fox."

"Answer the question!" The king was shouting.

"I did! I am half-fox!"

"No!" the king bellowed. "Are you Fox from the slums?"

"Who's speaking cryptically now, hellion? Just kill me and quit it with the questions! I'm clearly overpowered."

"Right. You can't be him. You are too weak. He would have awakened the forest to attack me by now. He's dead. He's dead." The King's energy level reached an apex, charring the surrounding forest. He concentrated the ki in his right fist, lifting it to deliver a final strike. The kitsune squirmed under him.

Suddenly, a scent of roses and cedar radiated from the assassin and the surrounding plant life burst into activity, rapidly growing until Hiei was entangled in green. The astonished King released the aura from his fist and incinerated everything in his way.

When the smoke cleared, the assassin was no where to be found.

* * *

*The idea of the death point is taken from Chinese mythology of a pressure point in the back that will immediately kill a person upon it being pierced. For more information, search touch of death on Wikipedia.

Ok..that's it. Longest chapter I've ever written. I realize our assassin is slightly out of character here, but I hope the next chapters will explain why.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

Warnings: This chapter is definitely **rated M for language, verbal abuse, and implied torture**. I can't say I enjoyed writing certain paragraphs in this chapter, but they had to be done or the characterization wouldn't make any sense.

Thanks again to my favorite reviewers, TheNotSoNiceLibrarian and KyoHana!

TheNotSoNiceLibrarian - Happy Holidays! Hope I managed to keep you guessing in this new chapter!

KyoHana - Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Ohh..I think you know who master is. :D He's pretty much been typecast as Master of Kurama. Though, sometimes I think Toguro as master is more interesting. Wouldn't work here though. He's not cruel enough, I think.

And of course, a big welcome to all new followers! Please don't be shy and leave me some feedback!

* * *

There was no telling how long it would take for the pair of cypress doors to open. Set on a wall of wooden panels, the doors were ornately adorned with carved lions heads and darkened brass hardware. The ceiling moldings were covered in gold leaf and the walls were painted a luxurious burgundy. All this reflected the taste of someone who desperately wanted to invoke an image of old money. At least that's what Kurama had once overheard a visitor opined, since he didn't know what old money was supposed to look like. Whatever style it was that the waiting room was supposed to mimic, one thing was for certain: this room made him uncomfortable.

One of the walls was completely lined with taxidermic hunting trophies, rows upon rows of mounted heads in expressions of anger, agony, sadness, and fear. A broken army staring intimidatingly into nothingness that made the hairs on Kurama's back stand every time he sees them.

Directly across were two large mahogany seating chairs upholstered in plush blue velvet and a low lacquer table, but that was not where Kurama was seated. Instead, he was naked on the marble floor with his legs folded beneath him and his torso wrapped in a plain sheet. After all, it wouldn't do to dirty the exquisite furniture with his blood, regardless of whether or not he had succeeded in the assassination. Now that he has failed, it would be wise to be the nail that bends rather than the one that sticks out. The state of his body would not be able to endure further hammering.

It was not his arm that he was concerned about, rather it was the wound on his back that was the graver injury. While initially he was high and numb on adrenaline, burning pain now radiated from his lower back and it was obvious that he'd been scorched badly by hell fire. There was nothing he wanted more than to lie down on the cool marble tiles but he knew doing so would prove disastrous for him. Instead, he pressed his fingers onto his temples and rubbed in a slow circle, trying to relieve the dense fog that had clouded over his mind. He had a lapse in memory again. Everything leading up to the assassination attempt was perfectly clear, from the praise that the pretty Princess with hair the color of milk matcha showered him with, to his anxiety that the hidden needle in his thigh might be discovered, to the liquid courage he borrowed to psych himself up for the attack, and finally to the way the King kept asking him about a fox.

What he does not remember was how he got away. This was no big surprise since his memory has been rather spotty ever since that incident, years ago. His last recollection of the encounter before darkness overtook him was the way black fire curled and danced around the King's withdrawn fist, like a shy maiden skirting around a suitor she fancied, and how he knew, in the deepest recesses of his mind, that this would be the man that kills him. When the darkness finally receded, he was stirring on the lawn of his clan's compound and Bui sama had come out to collect him. Only to unceremoniously dump him in the seating room without treating his wounds.

With a quiet click, the cypress doors opened and the man Kurama had been waiting for appeared. Long limbed and sharp angled, he was late afternoon shadows personified. Long jet-black hair and flamboyant coat tails fluttered after him as he casually strolled towards Kurama. Inside the room, a young man with long violet blue hair loosely held in a ponytail was cooly redressing himself. Tucking his legs beneath him and bowing his head, Kurama made himself as small as possible.

"So you've returned, my child. Alive but failed. I see you've managed to lose your clothes as well." The tall man circled around him.

"I'm sorry, Poppa." Kurama didn't need to see the slight frown hidden under the metallic mask that covered the bottom half of Poppa's face to know that he was displeased.

"Of all my chosen ones, that dwarf of an abomination had to choose you. God only knows why he would pass over Shishi or even Touya for a filthy little fox. If he had chosen either of them or any one of the other twenty assassins we had planted, the job would be done now." Poppa bent down next to Kurama, eyes half lidded as he visualized the debauchery he whispered, "Did he fuck you long and hard? Did he pound and churn the spot that makes you beg for more? Did he make you scream his name or gag and bound you? Did you swallow and let it slide down your throat or is his seed still dribbling out of you as we speak?"

Pearl white teeth clenched and pale hands held the thin sheet tighter about him. None of that happened, Kurama wanted to counter, but his inability to even entice the King would be an even greater disappointment to Poppa. Besides, good children are not supposed to argue.

"And after all that, you couldn't even distract him long enough to kill him. Are we in the business of giving out free rides now? Hmm, child?" At the last question, Poppa lifted Kurama's chin so that his upturned head would meet the tall man's cold violet gaze. The pretty fox silently mouthed the word sorry.

Poppa dropped his chin and started pacing. His polished black Oxfords clicked loudly on the marble floor while he continued his tirade, "I should be collecting a purse of gold right now instead of standing here with you, wasting my time. I'm not convinced that you're grateful, child. I housed you, fed you, clothed you, trained you, and brought you under my wing like you were one of my own and you're repaying me with failure? Hmm? I regret naming you as one of my chosen children."

Kurama bowed his head, ashamed that he was not able to meet Poppa's expectations. He had known that abolishing the hellion king was imperative to the continual success of Poppa and Bui sama's organization and that the charitable donation from the supporter would ensure a lifetime of comfort for not only Poppa, but also for all of the children under his care. His recent failure was simply a sign that he had forsaken the kindness that Poppa have bestowed upon him.

Poppa's demeanor suddenly changed, and he lowered his voice to tenderly coo, "don't get me wrong, my child, I love you, but your only talents seem to be choking on my cock or spreading your legs and being stuffed full of me."

Poppa's eyes twinkled and curved upwards in delight as he delivered the final insult. It pleased him to no end when Kurama dropped the arms he had wrapped tightly around himself and his whole body went limp, a signal of surrender if there ever was one.

"Now, my sweet child, what have you got to say for yourself?"

"Poppa, I owe you my life. My body, my mind, and every moment of my life belongs to you. I will be whatever you wish me to be." Shuttered eyes spoke volumes about his distress, both physical and emotional. The frail kitsune summoned the last of his energy to envision a more peaceful place. The ocean materialized in his mind's eye, waves rendered pink by the dying rays of the day's light crashing against a rocky shore. A sigh marked his resignation.

"I'm glad we have an understanding, my sweet." Poppa kissed him gently on the crown of his head, running long skeletal fingers through his tangled mane before tearing the soiled sheet from the battered body, ripping clotted blood and charred skin. "Look at you. It's only been a few months since I'd last seen you and your hair has gotten so damaged. You've got to take better care of my property."

Straightening himself, Poppa commanded, "Shishiwakamaru! Clean him up." Instantly, the blue haired youth was by their side, roughly lifting Kurama by the injured arm and disdain written clearly all over his face.

"Poppa, with all due respect, this mutt has been nothing but trouble. I've proven myself to be more capable in every single way. There's no reason to keep him around." Kurama leaned against him, too busy fighting a losing battle against unconsciousness to care.

In an instant, long Midnight hair crackled to life and paled to gold. An explosive aura of firecrackers burst forth from the tall man. Kurama winced. Cold eyes that froze Shishiwakamaru's blood regarded him while Poppa spoke, "I don't recall asking for your opinion, my child."

Quickly, Shishi bowed as deeply as he could manage with the burden of the half-fox around his shoulders. "I'm sorry Poppa! I spoke out of turn. Please forgive me." He angled Kurama in front of him as a weak shield of protection.

"Contain yourself, Karasu. You're scaring your children," said Bui as he entered the over-embellished waiting room. At the sight of his second-in-command, Karasu recomposed himself and his hair slowly darkened back to black. Bui turned to Shishi, "run along now before your Poppa changes his mind."

Bowing again, Shishi hastily made his exit with the fox in tow. They collectively sighed in relief, letting go of the breath they have both been unconsciously holding.

Bui sat down on one of the velvet chairs and frowned as he watched Karasu's pets leave. He turned to his partner and with an air of respect, remarked, "You know Karasu, how you spend your share of our income is your business, as long as you don't confuse that redhead for an investment when he is simply a luxury item."

"Bui, Bui, Bui. You know how I like to pamper myself, I can more than afford a little luxury."

"If that is the case, then I hope you'd never send him on another mission again. Stealth and beauty alone does not make a good assassin," Bui continued, voice stoic with no trace of condescension. "I don't imagine you would ever release the aura suppressants you have on him."

"I like my roses without thorns, thank you very much." Karasu strolled forward to face Bui, placing his hands on the armrests of the chair and leaning so close that he could feel the muscular man's breath on his face. "By the way, did I miss a memo about today being voice-your-opinion day? First Shishi, and now you. You can all save your breaths, my sweet half-fox is not a topic for discussion."

"Fine. If you are satisfied with a porcelain doll, who am I to argue? Just bear in mind that the next time you accidentally smash your favorite doll, don't expect me to put it back together again for you."

Karasu straightened uneasily then waved a cadaverous hand in a dismissive flutter. "Ah Bui, you are much too serious. I'd just get another. Now, let's discuss a more pressing matter. A certain fire brat King still need to exterminated."

"I will deal with that mess. There's an angry client we need to placate and that's certainly not your area of expertise." Bui stood and was about to exit when he paused and turn back to Karasu. Folding his arms in front of his chest, he said, "If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn you are in love with that doll, the way you coddle him and keep him around."

Karasu raised an elegant eyebrow and pointed a bony finger at his own chest. "Coddle? You think I coddle him?" Black hair once again began to fade to gold and Karasu's voice took on a manic pitch. "I'll show you how I coddle him!"

"Shishi!" Karasu shouted, golden hair sparking to life and squirming wildly about him like eels. "Bring him to my chambers when you're done with him!" Turning, he tromped back to his room, microscopic explosives detonating all around him while he muttered darkly, "Coddle? Me? I don't coddle him. I'll show you. Coddle, my ass. Me? No. I don't coddle."

Bui shrugged as Karasu's doors slammed shut. Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. If this was the way his partner was going to dispose of the half-human, so be it. It had been a long time coming. This_ distraction_ has got to end.

* * *

"Kind sirs, please give me a chance to bid farewell to my brother properly."

The jailer, a spotted brown satyr, held his hands up, shaking his head, "No can do, pretty bird. Strictly no visitation for condemned criminals."

"Please sirs, he's the only family I have left. Just for a few minutes, please?"

"You'll see him soon enough," said the other jailer, an oni with a rounded belly, with a smirk on his face. "At the execution tomorrow. You can expect a crowd though, that mongrel's been stealing from everybody!"

"No please, I beg of you!" Beads of tears welled from lovely amber eyes. "I'll do anything to see my nisan one last time."

"Anything, you say?" The oni held an oil lamp up to the lovely creature's face and regarded her with lecherous eyes. Certainly, she had a pleasing face, delicate features offset by piercing eyes all framed by a faded headscarf. While it was difficult to tell whether or not she had a nice figure under her long hooded cloak, standard attire for a resident of the slums, the jailer was quite certain she was too young to have acquired any womanly curves yet. Oh well, her face was pretty enough. "15 minutes if you blow us both."

Pale skin became even paler and a dainty little mouth fell open, aghast at the proposition. The other jailer quickly rushed forward in protest, "Hey Yasuda, quit it! That's totally against the rules! Besides, she's just a girl! You can't possibly expect her to — "

By abruptly leaning forward and placing a delicate hand on his loins, the young girl effectively cut the jailer's argument short. With her free hand, she undid the satyr's belt and threw the heavy leather to the ground with a loud clink of heavy keys. "I promise you won't regret it," she stood on her toes to whisper, a sensual expression on her fair face.

Yasuda grabbed the maiden by the wrist and said, "Hey little bird, me first!"

"Oh dear," said the girl, pink rising to her cheeks. "Please don't fight. Perhaps there is a gentlemanly way of settling this? A coin toss, perhaps? Or arm wrestling? You sirs have such strong arms." She ran her hands down the arms of the two men, all the while keeping Shrimp in her peripheral vision, watching as he quickly picked up the forgotten keys and then race towards the cells. Underneath the disguise, silver ears twitched in excitement and a thick tail fluffed itself twice.

Immediately locating Half-Breed based entirely on the loud racket he made while he banged against the prison bars, Shrimp put a finger to his mouth to shush his rowdy friend then quickly tested key by key until he found the right one. Unlocking the door, he whispered, "Let's get outta here. Any longer, and Fox would really have to give those two idiots head." Half-Breed raised his eyebrows incredulously, not certain that he heard right.

Locked in a match of strength, the two men were too distracted to notice the two street urchins making their way out of the jail.

As soon as his friends were out of sight, Fox dug his nails into his arm to draw out a torrent of tears. "I can't do this after all," he cried, sobbing hysterically. "Brother would torment himself if he knew what I had to do to see him." He pushed away from the men, ready to make his escape.

"Oh no you don't," the lewd oni called after Fox and grabbed him by the waist. "Not after you've gotten us all riled up! You'd better finish what you started!"

"Please sir," Fox said, trying to pull himself free, "I am but an innocent maiden. I beg of you, this can't be the last memory my brother has of me. I won't be able to live with myself!"

"Cry all you want, girly, but I intend to get what I was promised. What do you say, Gumi? How bout I hold her down for you?"

Fox looked at the satyr pleadingly, summoning the widest, most innocent eyes he could muster, willing another torrent of tears.

"But —" Gumi started to protest.

"But what? Who's going to believe this little bitch from the slums over upstanding citizens like us?" Yasuda picked up the small body and threw the pretty creature over a desk, pinning fragile arms.

Morality lost the battle to lust and Gumi slowly made his way towards the desk, caressing a flushed cheek. Fox writhed. He considered his options. He had but one bluestem seed, which he could turn into a small gray-green blade and take advantage of the element of surprise to cut off the filthy manhood of one of these lechers. One, not both. He would be quickly overpowered by the other. And then what? He would be the new tenant to Half-breed's recently vacated cell. If he did it, it would be Yasuda he'd cut. Not only was the oni stronger, but he was also more obnoxious. Or, he could cry for help. Would Shrimp and Half-Breed be able to hear him? Even if they could, they wouldn't be strong enough to overpower the two jailers anyway, that's why he and Shrimp choose trickery over brute force to begin with. Or, he could always squeeze his eyes shut and just blow these two jailers. He would finish, and then they would take him to Half-breed's cell only to find it empty. The ensuing chaos would provide plenty of opportunities to escape. Fox wrinkled his nose at this thought. His pride for his survival and freedom. It was fair trade.

"Please don't hurt me," lush lips opened to beg. "I'll do it, I'll do it. I'd even swallow! Please, let me down."

The two lustful men released their grip, and Fox sank to his knees before them and began to loosen the oni's belts. He looked up at Yasuda with large tearful eyes. This sadistic bastard clearly loves to watch others submit before him and the feeling of power. If Fox played his cards right, spilled tears at the right moments, made the right pained expressions, this would be over shortly. Withdrawing the man's fully erect penis from within his breeches, Fox tucked stray strands of hair into his headscarf and took a deep breath, catching a whiff of the man's musk.

"Hello Mr. Guard? I'm here to pick up my Pa."

The satyr quickly whirled around and the oni pushed Fox away. Before them was a grubby child with raven hair that defied gravity and startling red eyes.

"Who?" Gumi quickly rushed towards the child, trying to shield him away from his partner's loosened trousers and the girl on the floor.

"The barman told me he started picking fights and was taken here to sleep it off. He has black hair and red eyes like me. Oh, and he has a big bushy beard. Ma will be angry if he doesn't come home tonight."

"Umm, sorry kid, no one of that description is here."

"But the barman said —"

"I know where you could find him," Fox rushed forward and took the child by his hand. "They only have condemned criminals here. Here, I'll take you to your Pa." Taking a last sidelong glance at the two astonished jailers, Fox quickly yanked Shrimp towards the entrance and into the darkness of the night.

As soon as they were outside, Half-Breed appeared from the shadows. They took a quick look at one another and then started running, not once stopping to catch their breaths until they were at the Bridge. Upon reaching their safe haven, the three street urchins burst out laughing. Half-Breed was folded over, gleeful that he has a second chance at life; Fox threw his head back in relief that he didn't have to do the despicable thing that he thought was his only way out; and Shrimp flopped on the ground laughing off the nervous energy that started building when he saw the predicament that Fox was in.

Pointing at Fox, Yusuke spoke between attacks of laughter, "You! You! You actually...dressed as a girl...were you really gonna...gonna give those guys…" Foxed kicked him, face reddening to match Shrimp's eyes. Half-Breed had clearly hit a nerve.

"Ungrateful prick! That was just a ploy to distract them. It was Shrimp's idea!" barked Fox, offense clear on his voice.

"Whoa Shrimp! Never knew you had a thing for lady boys!"

"Shut up, Half-Breed. There's no way I could ever pull off disguising as a girl! It had to be Fox."

"Heh! You totally could pull it off! You'd be one hell of an ugly girl though!"

Unable to form a snappy comeback, Shrimp glared at his friend until his glower erased the smile from Yusuke's face. Half-Breed rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and mumbled a sheepish apology and a thank you. Satisfied, Shrimp got up from the ground to help Fox with the sacks of belongings he was hastily putting together.

"What's all this?" Yusuke asked, poking his nose in one of the bags. Inside were a few articles of clothing, a small pouch of seeds and herbs, several shiny baubles, and a canteen of water.

"We're skipping town," replied Fox, snatching his bag from his friend and handing him an empty one. "I've managed to secure passage to Holcane, the port city, for us. Pack what you need, we leave first thing in the morning."

"Wait Fox. I get why _I_ have to skip town, every single vendor in this city is after me. But you two don't need to tag along."

"I'm not tagging along. I need to get outta here because I've conned one too many people," Fox divulged. "Shrimp didn't intend on coming, but now that he's shown his face to the jailers, it's better if he leaves with us."

He turned to Shrimp. "Unless there is something holding you here that I didn't know about?"

"Hn. A little seaside air will do me good."

"How the hell will we pay for our way though?" Half-Breed asked.

At his friend's inquiry, Fox produced a small pouch of coins from his pocket. With a self-satisfied grin on his face, he responded, "Our friend Yasuda's got us covered."

Early the next day, when the sun was only just making its presence known with a faint splash of azure against Prussian blue, the boys loaded themselves onto the back of a fish monger's chart to leave the town they have grown to think of their home and venture to the port city that would tear their little crew apart.


End file.
